Weft selectors for shuttleless looms



March 1, 1966 v. M. J. ANCET ETAL 3,

WEFT SELECTORS FOR SHUTTLELESS LOOMS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 1, 1964 INVENTORS a wm g y Quad? W 0.11

BY 04 m QLEE March 1, 1966 v. M. J. ANCET ETAL 3,237,651

WEFT SELECTORS FOR SHUTTLELESS LOOMS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 1; 1964 ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,237,651 WEFT SELECTORS FOR SHUTTLELESS LOOMS Victor Marie Joseph Ancet, 23 Rue Ferdinand Buisson, and Marius known as Marcel Fayolle, Rue de lHumilite, both of Lyon, France Filed June 1, 1964, Ser. No. 371,400 Claims priority, application France, June 13, 1963, 43,733, Patent 1,369,419 6 Claims. (Cl. 139-122) The present invention relates to shuttleless weaving looms of the kind in which each weft is pulled by a transversely reciprocating weft inserting member from a stationary weft supply. It is known to provide a plurality of such weft supplies as for instance for colour weaving. In such a case the loom is provided with an appropriate weft selector which each time transfers to the weft inserting member the appropriate weft thread in accordance with the desired pattern. Such a weft selector may comprise a number of vertically movable thread-guides which are normally at such a vertical distance above the path of the weft inserting member that the latter cannot catch but escapes the portion of each weft thread which extends between the corresponding thread-guide and the adjacent edge of the fabric. In operation these thread-guides are selectively lowered in order that their respective threads may be caught one at each time by the said member and pulled through the shed.

It has already been proposed to realize such a device in the form of a single unit together with the thread feelers associated with each weft thread, this unit being adjustable in position on the loom, as for instance for taking into account the width of the fabric which is being woven thereon. But in the known construction these units have been connected with the weft pattern device by means of cable and sheath transmissions which caused important frictional losses and which were relatively slow in operation. It sometimes occurred that when the loom was operating at a high speed, a thread-guide was not fully returned to its normal raised position when the next one was lowered, whereby the weft inserting member could catch and pull two weft threads at the same time. Further proper operation of the thread feelers requires that at any time the thread-guide which has been selected only begins its downward stroke when the preceding one has been fully returned to its normal position.

In accordance with the present invention in a weft selector unit for shuttleless weaving looms, the vertically movable thread-guides adapted to control the weft threads in accordance with the weft pattern are selectively lowered by electromagnets. Frictional losses are thus practically eliminated and the unit may operate at the highest speed attainable by.the loom without causing any defect.

In the annexed drawing:

FIG. 1 is a general isometric view of a weft selector unit according to this invention with the casing partly broken.

FIG. 2 is a fragmental fornt view of this unit, with parts in section.

FIG. 3 is a vertical section thereof.

At the position of the parts which is shown in FIG. 1 the weft-inserting needle 1 of the loom has fully crossed the shed between the warp threads 2 and the reed 3. Its thread catching tongue or hook 4 is ready for catching the weft thread 5 which has been selectively lowered by the weft selector unit and for pulling the latter through the shed during its return movement. The reed 3 will there'- after beat up the thread thus laid in the shed so as to form the fabric 6. The needle 1 is of course provided with an appropriate gripping member in order to retain the weft thread which has been caught by its thread catching 3,237,651 Patented Mar. 1, 1966 "ice hook and the loom comprises means for cutting the said thread between the needle and the adjacent edge or selvage of the fabric.

The selector unit proper comprises a casing 7 closed by cover 8. This casing 7 has a downward gutter-shaped extension 9 provided with a removable cover 10. A number of flat vertical thread-guide supporting bars (four in number in the example shown) are slidably mounted within this extension 9, each comprising an upper element 11 (FIGS. 2 and 3) an intermediate resilient blade 12 and a lower element 13 which extends below the said extension 9, its lower end supporting a vertically cylindrical thread-guide or eyelet 14. As illustrated the bars 11-12-13 are disposed in successive spaced parallel vertical planes which are substantially longitudinal with respect to the loom. Each upper element 11 is twisted through in the vicinity of its upper end in such manner that the latter may be situated in a plane substantially transverse with respect to the loom and the said upper end has an elongated slot 11a (FIG. 1) through which is passed the end of a fiat arm 15 secured to the outer end of the oscillating armature 16 of an electromagnet 17. The four electromagnets 17 are disposed in a single row within the casing 7 and the fiat arms 15 are bent twice at 90, as clearly shown in FIG. 1 in order that the bars 11-12-13 may be situated relatively close to each other within the vertical gutter-shaped extension 9. The oscillating armatures 16 are loosely supported on a common transverse rod 18 (FIG. 3) on which they are axially retained by appropriate means (not illustrated), as for instance tubular stays, split rings or the like. Each one is biassed by a spring 19 which tends to maintain the corresponding arm 15 against an upper cross-member 20 carried by the casing cover 8. The upper elements 11 of the thread-guide supporting bars 11-12-13 are slidably guided by a horizontal reed 21 secured to the gutter-shaped extension 9 and by vertical transverse surfaces 22, 23 respectively carried by the said extension 9 and by its cover 10.

The intermediate resilient blades 12 are so shaped that they tend to urge the lower elements 13 towards the left in FIG. 2, such displacement being limited for each element 13 by a small contacting pin 24 (FIG. 3) carried by a metallic plate 24a which is itself supported by an insulating base 25 secured to the bottom of the guttershaped extension 9, the said plate 24a having an inner terminal 26 (FIG. 2) which is electrically connected by a wire 27 with a lateral outer terminal 28 carried by insulating washers 29.

The insulating base 25 also supports spaced teeth 30 at the lower end of the extension 9. The lower elements 13 of the thread-guide supporting bars 11-12-13 are disposed in the spaces provided between the successive teeth 30 and each one carries two wedge-shaped lateral blocks 31 which are secured against its sides, as for instance by means of rivets, not illustrated, these blocks forming an upwardly tapering member which is maintained with a quite reduced clearance between two successive teeth 30 when the corresponding bar 11-12-13 and its associated thread-guide '14 are at their highermost position as defined by the upper abutment or cross-member 20. The element 13 under consideration is then in line with its corresponding upper element 11 and it is spaced from the corresponding pin 24. On the other hand, when the bar is lowered (as illustrated in full lines for the right-hand bar in FIG. 2), the blocks 31 are disengaged from the teeth 30 and the lower element 13 may be applied laterally against the corresponding pin 24 by the reaction of the intermediate resilient blade 12.

Above each armature 16 is disposed a small contact device comprising an insulating block 32 carried by a lower flexible blade 33 provided with a contact 34, and

an upper flexible blade 35 having a corresponding contact 36 normally spaced from the contact 34. These blades 33 and 35 are separated by insulating washers 37 and they are carried by an insulating base 38 secured to a common support 40. When a thread-guide supporting bar 111213 is brought to its highermost position by the corresponding spring 19, the corresponding armature 16 actuates the insulating block 32 and urges the lower contact 34 against the upper contact 36. As clearly shown in the diagrammatical representation in the upper portion of FIG. 2, the flexible blades 33, 35 and their contacts 34, 36 are disposed in series between the outer terminal 28 and the ground.

The electrical circuits comprise a transformer 41 the secondary of which has a grounded terminal, the other one being connected with a relay 42 adapted to stop the loom. This relay 42 is in turn connected with a rotary switch 43 which only closes when the weft is being pulled through the shed by the Weft-inserting needle 1 of FIG. 1. The rotary switch 43 is itself connected with the outer terminal 28.

The apparatus described is mounted on a transverse bar 44 (FIG. 1) which is clamped in a split collar 45 carried by an upright 46 of the loom frame.

When one of the electromagnets 17 is energized by the weft pattern device (as for instance through switches actuated by cams), the corresponding armature 16 is lowered against its biassing spring 19 together with the corresponding thread-guide 14. The lowered position of the thread-guide is positively determined by engagement of the armature 16 against the poles of the corresponding electromagnet 17. As soon as this electromagnet is disenergized, the spring 19 immediately returns the threadguide 14 to its raised position.

When a thread-guide 14 is lowered by the corresponding armature 16, its weft-thread (FIG. 1) is caught by the book 4 of the weft-inserting needle 1 and it is pulled horizontally through the shed. The tension of the thread is sufiicient to deviate the thread-guide 14 towards the right in FIG. 2 against the action of the resilient blade 12 (position in dash lines in FIG. 2) and therefore when the rotary switch 43 closes, the lower element 13 is spaced from the corresponding pin 24. Since at the same time the contacts 34 and 36 which correspond to the armature 16 of the lowered thread-guide are at the open position, the circuit of the relay 42 is not closed and the loom does not stop.

If the weft thread 5 breaks during the weft inserting step the resilient blade 12 returns the lower element 13 against the corresponding pin 24, the relay 42 is energized and the loom stops.

Also, if for any reason no thread-guide is lowered for a given pick of the loom, all the contact pairs 34-36 remain at the closed position and the relay 42 is energized when the rotary switch 43 closes, whereby the loom is stopped.

It is to be noted that if a weft thread 5 is somewhat slack at rest, this cannot cause stoppage of the loom since as soon as this thread is caught by the weft-inserting needle, it is pulled by the latter and therefore placed under tension before the rotary switch 43 closes.

We claim:

1. A weft selector for a shuttleless loom having a shed and having a transversely reciprocatable weft-inserting member which catches and pulls through the shed one of a plurality of weft threads at each operative stroke of the weft-inserting member, said weft selector comprising a frame; a plurality of substantially parallel thread-guide carrying bars slidably mounted on said frame; means on said frame to guide said thread-guide carrying bars for longitudinal displacement; a threadguide carried by each one of said bars to receive a respective one of said Weft threads; means on said frame to resiliently retain said bars with said thread-guides at a first position in which said weft threads escape said weft-in- 4 serting member; electromagnets carried by said frame to. selectively bring one of said bars with a thread-guide to a second position in which said weft thread is caught by said weft-inserting member, and an electric contact device associated with each of said electromagnets in such manner as to be closed when the corresponding thread-guide is at said first position and open when said corresponding thread-guide is at said second position.

2. A weft selector for a shuttleless loom having a shed and having a transversely reciprocatable weft-inserting member which catches and pulls through the shed one of a plurality of weft threads at each operative stroke of the weft-inserting member, said weft selector comprising a frame; a plurality of substantially parallel thread-guide carrying bars slidably mounted on said frame; means on said frame to guide said thread-guide carrying bars for longitudinal displacement; a threadguide carried by each one of said bars to receive a respective one of said weft threads; means on said frame to resiliently retain said bars with said thread-guides at a first position in which said weft threads escape said weft-inserting member; electromagnets carried by said frame to selectively bring one of said bars with a thread-guide to a second position in which said weft thread is caught by said weft-inserting member, and said frame having electric contacts each disposed on-one side of each of said thread-guide carrying bars, and the end portion of each of said bars which carries one of said thread-guides being resiliently urged laterally towards one of said contacts, but being normally maintained spaced therefrom by the tension of the one of said weft threads which passes through said one of said thread-guides.

3. A weft selector for a shuttleless loom having a shed and having a transversely reciprocatable weft-inserting member which catches and pulls under tension through the shed one of a plurality of weft threads at each operative stroke of the weft-inserting member, said weft selector comprising a frame; a plurality of substantially parallel thread-guide carrying bars slidably mounted on said frame, each ofsaid bars embodying a first element, an intermediate resilient blade secured to said first element, and a second element secured to said intermediate resilient blade, said resilient blade tending to deviate said second element laterally from a normal position in which said second element is substantially in line with said first element; means on said frame to guide said upper element of each of said thread-guide carrying bars for longitudinal displacement; a thread-guide carried by the second element of each one of said thread-guide carrying bars receiving one of said Weft threads with the tension of said thread acting against the action of the intermediate resilient blade of said of said one of said bars; means on said frame to resiliently retain said bars with said threadguides at a first position in which said weft threads escape said weft-inserting member; electromagnets on said frame each to bring one of said thread-guide carrying bars from, said first position to a second position in which the weft thread of said 'one thread-guide carrying bar is caught by said weft-inserting member and pulled thereby through the shed; electric contacts carried by said frame each on the side of the second element of one of said thread-guide carrying bars towards which said second element tends to be deviated by the intermediate resilient blade to which it is secured; and means to retain said second elements of said thread-guide carrying bars spaced from said electric contacts when said bars are at said first position.

4. In a weft selector as claimed in claim 3, said means to retain said second elements of said thread-guide carrying bars spaced from said electric contacts comprising for each one of said bars a Wedge-shaped member carried by said second element thereof; and an abutment carried by said frame to cooperate with said wedgeshaped member at said first position of said one of said bars, while leaving said second element thereof free to be deviated towards said electric contact at said second position of said one of said bars.

5. A weft selector for a shuttleless loom operating with a plurality of weft threads comprising a substantially horizontal frame having a lateral downwardly directed extension; a plurality of electromagnets vertically disposed side by side in said lateral extension of said frame; an oscillating armature associated with each of said electromagnets, said armature being pivoted to said frame on the side thereof opposite to said lateral extension, each armature being movable between a raised position and a lowered position; spring means for normally urging each of said oscillating armatures into raised position; abutment means on said frame to limit the upward movement of said oscillating armatures; a plurality of substantially vertical thread-guide carrying bars actuated by said armatures, each embodying an upper element pivotally attached to the free end of one of said armatures, an intermediate resilient blade and a lower element, the lower end of said lower element extending downwardly below said lateral extension, said intermediate resilient blade urging said lower element laterally towards one side of said lateral extension from a position in vertical alignment with said first element; means on said lateral extension to slidably guide the upper element of each of said bars for vertical displacement on said extension; spaced teeth disposed in a substantially horizontal row at the lower end of said lateral extension on each side of the lower element of each of said bars; a wedge-shaped member on each side of the lower element of each of said bars to form thereon a thickened portion which fits slidably between two successive teeth to maintain the lower element of said bars in line with the upper element thereof against the action of the corresponding intermediate resilient blade when the armature to which the upper element of said bar is attached is in said raised position, said wedge-shaped member being situated below said teeth when the said arm is at said lowered position; an electric contact carried by said lateral extension of said frame on the side of each one of said lower elements towards which same is urged laterally by the intermediate resilient blade to which it is secured, said electric contact being spaced from its related lower element when the Wedgeshaped member thereof is disposed between two successive teeth, but said lower element being free to engage its related electric contact when its wedge-shaped member is disposed below said teeth; and a thread-guide at the lower end of the lower element of each of said bars to receive one of the weft threads of the loom.

6. In a weft selector as claimed in claim 5, an electric contact device associated to each of said oscillating armatures so as to be closed when said armature is in said raised position and open when said armature is in said lowered position, all said electric contacts being disposed in series.

References Cited by the'Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,429,394 10/1947 Clairmont 139--123 2,814,315 11/1957 Lyle et al. 139123 2,977,996 4/1961 Ancet et a1. 139-122 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,132,916 11/1956 France.

1,309,084 10/1962 France.

DONALD W. PARKER, Primary Examiner.

H. S. JAUDON, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A WEFT SELECTOR FOR A SHUTTLELESS LOOM HAVING A SHED AND HAVING A TRANSVERSELY RECIPROCATABLE WEFT-INSERTING MEMBER WHICH CATCHES AND PULLS THROUGH THE SHED ONE OF A PLURALITY OF WEFT THREADS AT EACH OPERATIVE STROKE OF THE WEFT-INSERTING MEMBER, SAID WEFT SELECTOR COMPRISING A FRAME; A PLURALITY OF SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL THREAD-GUIDE CARRYING BARS SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME; MEANS ON SAID FRAME TO GUIDE SAID THREAD-GUIDE CARRYING BARS FOR LONGITUDINAL DISPLACEMENT; A THREADGUIDE CARRIED BY EACH ONE OF SAID BARS TO RECEIVE A RESPECTIVE ONE OF SAID WEFT THREADS; MEANS ON SAID FRAME TO RESILIENTLY RETAIN SAID BARS WITH SAID THREAD-GUIDES AT A RIRST POSITION IN WHICH SAID WEFT THREADS ESCAPE SAID WEFT-INSERTING MEMBER; ELECTROMAGNETS CARRIED BY SAID FRAME 